Anyway, Usual disclaimers. Any Dark Perk can archive this wherever they want, others can ask me (I'll probably say yes <g>)

This is a post LK story, so you all know what that entails. Enjoy!

Alone in a Crowd

By: Cousin Mary (Jenkins) (6-98)

Natalie sighed as she navigated the Caddy across Toronto's dark streets on her way home. Lifting her head slightly, she let the cool night air snake through her hair and over her pale face. It smelled of the rain that had fallen earlier that evening; it was a cleansing smell. She felt as if it could almost wash away all her fears and frustrations. She'd almost lost it tonight, a hit and run, so much blood. Nat shook her head to clear it, no point worrying bout that now. No one had seen her fangs drop, everything was okay.

It had been almost a year since she'd become a permanent member of the night shift, and still she had problems with her bloodier cases. She -was- getting better though, at least she didn't have to excuse herself every ten minutes like in the beginning. Nat hit the garage door opener and eased the huge auto into the garage beneath the loft.

Soon after coming across Tracy had insisted on taking up residence here for some reason, and after a few months Nat had joined her. They had a very strange relationship, no one at work could figure out why they wanted to be roommates when it was obvious to even the most casual observer that they didn't particularly -like- each other. But for some reason, they felt drawn together. They didn't talk much. More often than not they barely saw each other, despite the fact that they now lived together. But there was a strange comfort in the proximity, if nothing else. She supposed it was just their link asserting itself, but as Tracy refused to allow herself to be tested or experimented on in any way, she couldn't say for certain.

As the huge steel doors screeched open, Sidney ran into the elevator to greet his mistress. Leaning down, Nat scooped up the cat and stroked him between the ears, soothing him. He didn't like Tracy much either. "Hello? Anybody home?" Nat called out, even though she knew -she- was, she could feel her.

"Yeah, I'm here." Tracy looked up from the kitchen table where a she was working on a pile of paperwork and smiled politely.

Nat set her bag down inside the door and wandered inside their cavernous home. It still looked much the same as when Nick had lived there, though they had made a few changes. There was now a lab bench along one wall, where Nick's old motorcycle had formerly stood. Tracy had taken that bike down to the garage and now rode it regularly. The piano was still there, though gathering dust. And many of Nick's paintings still graced the walls, though a few of Tracy's did too now.

Nat had been surprised to learn that her new 'sister' painted, and occasionally wondered while looking at her finished pieces just how much influence Nick's blood had had on her. For though Tracy rarely painted the sun or even abstracts, there was something about her works that reminded her eerily of Nick's. Of course, she had to admit that most things reminded her of Nick these days.

Nat noticed Tracy had returned to her work, so she didn't bother with any more pleasantries. She walked to the small kitchen area and pulled out a can of Sidney's favorite food. The cat meowed his appreciation before greedily devouring the pureed chicken livers. 'There's a good boy.' She thought and smiled down at her little tiger.

Out of the corner of her eye, Nat saw Tracy look up for a moment, perhaps to see if her latest thoughts had anything to do with her, as they didn't, she returned to work. Nat frowned slightly as she pulled a bottle of donated plasma from the fridge. Though she could never seem to read Tracy's thoughts, the blonde often seemed to pick up on hers, and while she wasn't entirely comfortable with that fact, there didn't seem to be anything she could do to stop it.

Pulling out the cork, Nat took a long draught of human blood. At first she'd tried to stick to cow, something Tracy had refused to even try, but after awhile, Nat had been forced to admit that drinking human blood made it much easier to control her own 'beast' out among humans.

'Beast,' Nat mused, she'd never thought she would use that word to describe it. His word. Her 'beast' was an ever-present hunger, singing at her from the back of her mind, taunting her. She glanced at Tracy again, her sister never seemed to be bothered by her hunger. Right now Tracy sat there with a half drained glass of blood, -she- never drank straight from the bottle, easily setting aside her own cravings to finish some arrest report or whatever she was currently working on.

Uneasily, Nat finished her dinner and headed over to the stereo. After slipping in an Ella Fitzgerald CD, Nat sank into the sofa and looked through her mail. Bill, bill, you may already be a winner, sale at Macy's, subscribe now…nothing interesting. Nat looked over to where Tracy continued to work, she knew she should try and talk to her. They were family now, they should at least try to be friends. Nat let her eyes wander to the easel the corner, Tracy's latest work was a of a deserted city street at night, full of shadows and menace, but no real insight into what the artist might be thinking.

Natalie stared at that dark painting, then glanced out the windows. There were hours of darkness left and she felt the urge to get out. If she was truthful, she'd admit that she wanted to hunt, not that she would, but she wanted to. "I'm going to go out for awhile," Nat said suddenly.

Tracy glanced up and quirked an eyebrow as if to say 'and you're you telling me because?' but finally gave a small smile and told her to, "Have fun."

Nat nodded and headed for the door.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Though she'd had no definite destination in mind, an hour later Natalie found herself at the Raven. She wasn't surprised, she always ended up here. As she approached the bar a wine glass was placed before her, she didn't need to order, they recognized what she was. She didn't need to pay either, as technically…she owned the place now. Nat picked up her drink and headed to her usual table.

It had been a surprise when Tracy had handed her the deed, the blonde had transferred all of Nick Knight's holdings to their names and apparently the Raven had somehow found it's way there too. Glancing around the club, Nat admired the changes Tracy had initiated. Despite the fact that her sister never seemed to visit, the Raven now held her unmistakable stamp, the same feeling of dark desolation that was portrayed in her paintings, something that seemed to attract a good many vampires to the club.

None of the elders seemed to mind the fact that two fledglings now owned the club, though the fact that they'd left the day to day running of it to Miklos might have something to do with that. Nat took a sip of her drink and let her eyes roam over the crowd, most of which were vampires. It was common knowledge among the Toronto community that Tracy and herself were of Nick, though none knew that circumstances of it. Sometimes she suspected that they knew there was something wrong about the two of them, that they could tell that they had done something that was no doubt very much against the code. Tracy said it was just her imagination and not to worry, but Nat wasn't too sure, there was just something about the way the others looked at them, especially Tracy.

As her thoughts returned to her sister, Nat found herself marveling again at the younger woman's self-restraint. While she herself always seemed just on the edge of her control, Tracy never faltered, never looked like she was about to lose it, never hesitated before going into a blood soaked crime scene or had to excuse herself after making a collar. Nothing ever seemed to phase her. And though Nat knew that that should please her, it didn't. More often than not it scared her. Maybe it scared the others too, maybe that's why no one had bothered them.

Or it could be Nick and Lacroix's names that protected them. Nat shifted uncomfortably in her seat and looked around the crowded club warily, no one here could read her thoughts, she had no reason to be uneasy. Sometimes she worried that someone might find out how they'd come across, that she'd purposely infected both herself and Tracy with Nick's blood -after- Nick had already left town.

Did Nick ever wonder about her? Did he think she was dead? Had Lacroix told him she was? The specter of their 'unnatural' legacy haunted her and she often found herself wondering what Nick would do if he ever found out. 'When, not if,' she corrected herself. They were immortal now and it was only a matter of time before they met again. And besides that, it wasn't like she had made any effort to hide their existence from anyone. As Tracy had once said, 'If he turns around and looks, he'll see us.'

She wasn't sure if she wanted that, she wasn't sure how she felt about him any more. Soon after it had been decided that they would stay in Toronto and carry on with these mortal lives, Nat had tried to find out where Nick and Lacroix had gone, but to no avail. It was as if they'd fallen of the edge of the world. Though if she -had- been given any information, she wasn't sure if she would have used it. Tracy showed no interest either finding Nick or even most of the Toronto community. In fact, sometimes Nat wondered if Tracy cared about anything anymore.

Downing the rest of her drink in a single gulp, Natalie headed for the dance floor. She pushed all thoughts of her unknowing master, unnatural sister and her precarious control over her beast from her head and lost herself in the music. The restlessness she felt would surely fade sooner or later, and for tonight she didn't need anyone.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.

Send all comments to anteros@juno.com